Following are the direct translations of SLORC typed and handwritten orders sent to Karen villages in the Kya In and Kawkareik areas of Karen State.  These order letters includes demands for forced labour and threats against non-complaince. Action taken against villages for failure to obey such orders often includes arrest, detention and torture of elders, increased forced labour or extortion quotas, troops coming and looting the village, burning houses and food supplies, or shelling the village.

[Note: Some details have been omitted or replaced by ‘xxxx’ for Internet distribution.]

Following are the direct translations of SLORC typed and handwritten orders sent to Karen villages in the Kya In and Kawkareik areas of Karen State. All of these orders were signed by SLORC Army (Tatmadaw) officers or SLORC officials, and most of the orders bear the rubber stamps of the issuing military unit. Many of them were copied and sent to many villages. Photocopies of the original orders (with certain details such as village names blacked out) are available on request. Most of the following orders involve demands for forced labour, money, food, building materials, rice confiscation quotas, etc., along with forced relocation orders, threatening demands for village heads to go to the Army camp, and others. Hundreds of such orders are issued every week, so those translated in this set should only be considered a representative sampling. The elders of a village generally receive several such orders every week.

Some of the orders mention "voluntary labourers", a SLORC euphemism for forced labour; as the orders make very clear, serious action will be taken if the "volunteers" fail to show. Another common expression is "If you fail, it will be your responsibility". This means you can expect to be arrested and tortured, and it will be your own fault. Action taken against villages for failure to obey such orders often includes arrest, detention and torture of elders, increased forced labour or extortion quotas, troops coming and looting the village, burning houses and food supplies, or shelling the village.

Abbreviations

IB = Infantry Battalion
LIB = Light Infantry Battalion, LORC = Law & Order Restoration Council (SLORC's local-level administration, such as Village LORC, Township LORC and Karen State LORC). In the orders, numeric dates are always written in dd-mm-yy format. Some details such as village names must be omitted for protection, and these have been replaced by 'xxxx', 'yyyy', etc.

Topic Summary

SLORC rice confiscation (Orders #1,2), forced relocation (#5), forced labour on roads (#3,4,17), other forced labour (#6-9,17-19,24,33,44-47), demands for money (#4,15,21), demands for wood (#10-14), demands for food (#12,22,23,33,34,40,41,46), demands for oxcarts (#15,16), demands for video machine (#20), intelligence gathering (#18,25,26,42,43), arrest (#27,28), threats (#5,7,14,16,19,20,27,28,31,32,35,44,45,47), travel restrictions (#9,48).

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Order #1

Stamp: VERY URGENT                                                        Township Law & Order Restoration Council
                                                                                        XXXX town
                                                                                        Ref. No. XXX / XXX / TLORC (XXXX)
                                                                                        Date: 1995 November
To:   xxxx
        xxxx village
        XXXX Township

Subject: To purchase the full amount of paddy for 1995-96

1. Regarding the above subject, according to the Karen State LORC meeting held on 15-11-95, a plan was made to purchase at the previous price (4) baskets of summer paddy per acre, and if possible more than that, in each township of Karen State. Under the Agriculture and Purchasing Plan, according to the decision made by the Karen State LORC, it was directed to fulfill the plan, order reference 212 / 60-2 / Township LORC (Karen State) dated 21-11-95.

2. Thus, we inform you to make arrangements to purchase (4) baskets per acre.

                                                                                                                        [Sd.]
                                                                                                                      (for) Chairman
                                                                                                              (U XXXX - Secretary)
Copies to: Office Copy / by clearance only

[Notes: a village chairman wrote on this order "We received this letter on 3 Dec. 1995". Four baskets per acre for the 95/96 harvest is 4 to 5 times higher than previous quotas. SLORC is increasing quotas exponentially in order to export rice for profit and to show the world "things are good in Burma", as well as to feed its ever-expanding Army. As a result, Burma is now in the grip of a staggering rice shortage - people are starving, and rice prices have doubled since last year in many areas (only military families can buy rice at subsidized prices). However, as noted in this order the farmers are still to be paid the "previous price" for the quota, probably 70 Kyats per tin. A year ago market price was 225 Kyats per tin, and this year market price is 400-500 Kyats per tin.]

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Order #2

Stamp: VERY URGENT                                                                        Township Law & Order Restoration Council
                                                                                                        XXXX town
                                                                                                        Ref. No. XXX / XXX / TLORC (XXXX)
                                                                                                        Date: 1995 December 4th
To:   Chairman
        xxxx Village LORC
        XXXX Township

Subject: Invitation to a Meeting

To discuss the milling of the rice bought from XXXX Township, ricemill owners are invited to come to the Township LORC office on 12-12-95 at 10 a.m. We inform you to attend the meeting without fail.

                                                                                                                        [Sd.]
                                                                                                                    (for) Chairman
                                                                                                            (U XXXX - Secretary)
Copy to: Office Copy / by clearance only

[Note: By SLORC order, the Township LORC confiscates rice from all farmers at only 10-20 percent of market price. This will be a meeting to order all ricemill owners to mill it for SLORC, most likely with no compensation whatsoever for their costs.]

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Order #3

Stamp: VERY URGENT                                                                    Township Law & Order Restoration Council
                                                                                                    XXXX town
                                                                                                    Ref. No. XXX / XXX / TLORC (XXXX)
                                                                                                    Date: 1995 December 4th
To:   Chairman and Headmen
        xxxx Village LORC
        XXXX Township

Subject: To carry out voluntarily Kya In Seik Gyi to Tee Paw Kloh road construction

Regarding the above subject, we inform you that since the work on the Kya In Seik Gyi to Tee Paw Kloh road has to be finished on (8-12-95) and (9-12-95), each village has to dig (217) holes as assigned and has to bring along all the tools needed in order to carry out the voluntary work.

Note: You must gather at 6 a.m. at XXXX village.

                                                                                                                [Sd. / 4-12-95]
                                                                                                                    (for) Chairman
                                                                                                            (U XXXX - Secretary)

Copies to:  No. XXX Infantry Battalion, XXXX town
                Township Law & Order Restoration Council, XXXX town
                Office Copy / by clearance only

[Note: the villagers have to dig the holes to get earth and rock, then carry it to the roadbed.]

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Order #4

To: Chairman

We notify you that nobody from your village turned up at xxxx village at 6 a.m. on 8-12-95 to finish digging the (200) holes assigned to (4) villages for the construction of the Tee Paw Kloh road. Give the assignment to share equally amongst your villagers for the above mentioned (200) holes. The other villages have all arrived. If your villagers cannot do this, you can also hire people in XXXX. For one hole, 200 Kyats, as it was for the Dali road. Come to me to make a contract if any quarter people [people from the quarters of XXXX town] need to be hired. The wages will be paid as follows: 100 Kyats first and then 100 Kyats the second time. Come and make a contract.

                                                                                                        [Sd. / 8-12-95]
                                                                                                                (xxxx)
                                                                                            Rice collector for the government

[Note: This order in Burmese is full of spelling mistakes and written in a shaky scrawl, by an official who is apparently semi-illiterate. "The wages" of 200 Kyats does not mean they will be paid for the work - it means the amount villagers must pay to hire replacements if they can't go.]

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Order #5

To:   Headman                                                                                  Stamp:
        xxxx village                                                                              #XXX IB
                                                                                                  Column 1 HQ

Subject: Relocation

Regarding the above subject, we inform you that since there will be soon a military operation, the following villages: XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, etc. have to move quickly to a war free zone. When our column enter into these villages, if they see any villagers it will be the responsibility of those villagers.

Area:   xxxx village                                                                                                      [Sd.]
Date:   30-6-95                                                                                                  Intelligence Officer
                                                                                                                                   No. XXX IB

[Note: "it will be the responsibility of those villagers" means any villagers still seen in their villages will be considered as enemy and shot on sight.]

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Order #6

  Stamp:
No. XXX IB                                  To:     Chairman                                                                     Date: 14-8-95
Column ( )                                           xxxx village

Subject:   To go to cut and to clear

Regarding the above subject, one person from each house must go to No. XXX Infantry Battalion on 15-8-95.

Note: You must bring your own rice packet.

                                                                                                                        [Sd. / 14-8-95]
                                                                                                                (for) Column Commander

[Note: This work is cutting trees and clearing land for an army post or forced-labour farming fields. The village head later wrote "Done" on this order and signed it.]

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Order #7

To:   Chairman                                                                  Stamp:
        xxxx village                                                              #XXX IB
                                                                                   Column 1 HQ
Subject:  To send voluntary labour

Regarding the above subject, the headman has to provide (7) voluntary labourers and rice for 3 days for SLORC and DKBA troops to xxxx monastery. You must send the labourers and the rice on 1-7-95 at 9 a.m. If you fail to send them, action will be taken.

Area:  xxxx monastery                                                                                             [Sd.]
Date:  30-6-95                                                                                              Intelligence Officer
                                                                                                                              No. XXX IB

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Order #8

    Stamp:
  No. XXX IB
No. 2 Company                                      To:     Village Head
  Date: 4-3-95                                                 xxxx village

I am writing to you. On the 6th at 0900 [9 a.m.] you must bring 30 voluntary labourers, food for 3 days, spades, machetes, and baskets to the Battalion headquarters.

Note: Come without fail.

                                                                                                                            [Sd.]
                                                                                                                Company Commander
                                                                                                                         No. 2 Company
                                                                                                          No. XXX Infantry Battalion

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Order #9

     Stamp:
  No. XXX IB
No. 2 Company
  Date: 6-3-95                  Acknowledgement

Attached is a list of (30) people from xxxx village. We acknowledge that they are going to xxxx, XXXX township, to do voluntary labour for No. XXX IB.

            (Attached: (1) list of people's names)

                                                                                                                            [Sd.]
                                                                                                             Company Commander
                                                                                                                      No. 2 Company
                                                                                                                             No. XXX IB

[Note: this document was given to the villagers to allow them to travel to the forced labour site - otherwise they would not be allowed to pass the SLORC checkpoints. The list attached has been withheld from this report for security reasons.]

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Order #10

 

To:   Village Head                                                                             10th day of Thadin Kyo waning moon
        xxxx village                                                                              18-10-95

You must arrange that your villagers send 100 logs, each 6 plah [9 feet] long within 3 days from your village to XXXX camp.

                                                                         [Sd.]
                                                                Camp Commander
                                                                    XXXX camp

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Order #11

To:   Chairman
        xxxx village                                                                                                  Date: 1995 November 14

Subject:   To send wooden posts

To use as lamp posts, you must send (10) wooden posts of teak or pingado [a kind of ironwood] of (4) hands [handspans] circumference and (11) plah [17 feet] long to No. XXX Infantry Battalion on 20-11-95 at the latest.

                                                                                                                    [Sd.]
                                                                                                                    xxxx
                                                                                                            Intelligence Officer

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Order #12

To:   Village head                                                    Stamp:                                  15-5-95
        xxxx village                                                  No. XXX IB
                                                                     No. 2 Column HQ

Subject:   Come and report to the Column

Regarding the above subject, we want to meet with the headman. So come and report to the column as soon as you receive this letter.

                                                                                                                      [Sd.]
                                                                                                            Column Commander

Note: You have to bring along (2) viss [3.2 kg.] of chicken for curry. We also need (2) tonnes of padauk timber to make beds.

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Order #13

Stamp:
No. XXX IB                              To: Chairmen
Battalion Office                             XXXX / XXXX / XXXX / XXXX / XXXX /
                                                   XXXX / XXXX / XXXX / XXXX villages [9 villages]
                                                                                                                                                Date: 7-12-95

Subject: To send firewood to sell to the battalion brick factory

Each village must come and bring (10) bullock carts of firewood in December. We inform you that we will pay cash.

                                                                                                                    [Sd.]
                                                                                                            Battalion Captain

[Note: The cash paid will almost certainly not be very much, but villages have no option but to obey. In many areas villagers and teenage conscripted rank-and-file soldiers are made to do forced labour at these brick factories.]

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Order #14

      Stamp:
    No. XXX IB                              To:    xxxx village head
Battalion Office                                                                                                                      Date: 7-12-95

Subject:  The headman must come to the Battalion Office urgently

Village headman, we ordered you to bring (20) oxcarts of firewood in November but you did not bring anything. So village headman, you yourself must come urgently and account for this at the Battalion Office.

                                                                                                                    [Sd.]
                                                                                                            Battalion Captain

[Note: the language used in this letter is particularly strong and threatening.]

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Order #15

                    Myanmar Column and Township Law & Order Restoration Council
  Stamp:
No. XXX IB                                  To:    Chairman                                                                      Date: 23-8-95
Column ( )                                           xxxx village

Along with the bearer of this letter, you must send (2) bullock carts to the column at 6 a.m. tomorrow.

You have already paid 1,800 Kyats out of the 2,100 Kyats servants' fees for the 11th to the 31st. So you must send the rest of the money, 300 Kyats, immediately along with him.

Thank you,

                                                                                                                            [Sd.]
                                                                                                                           23-8-95
                                                                                                                    (Sergeant xxxx)

[Written on the back of the order: "Please collect and send as quickly as possible and bring the remaining servants' fees. The column is asking for it and also for the (2) bullock carts." The following was written in later on the order paper: "We didn't go and meet.
25-8-95

                                                                                                                              [Sd.]
                                                                                                                Chairman, xxxx village"]

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Order #16

    Stamp:
  No. XXX IB                          To:     Chairman / (U xxxx)

   Column 2                                    xxxx village                                                                      Date: 3-12-95
Date: 3-12-95

Subject:   To send (4) bullock carts

Regarding the above subject, Chairman U xxxx, you yourself and (4) bullock carts must come to the place where the Column is staying. You must come without fail. If you fail, it will be your responsibility.

                                                                                                                    [Sd. / 3-12-95]
                                                                                                            (for) Column Commander

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Order #17

  Stamp:
No. XXX IB                              To:    Chairman                                                                         Date: 6-11-95
Column 2                                       xxxx village group

Subject:   To come and attend a meeting about the restoration of XXXX monastery and the building of the road.

Regarding the above subject, the following village leaders have to come and attend a meeting on 7 November 1995 at 8 a.m. at XXXX monastery without fail.

1.  U xxxx
2.  U xxxx
3.  U xxxx
4.  U xxxx

P.S. Attend without fail.

                                                                                                                    [Sd. / 6-11-95]
                                                                                                            (for) Column Commander

[Note: this will be a meeting to assign forced labour quotas for the two projects.]

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Order #18

To: Headman
      ( xxxx ) village

Subject:   Invitation to a meeting

Regarding the above subject, we inform you that the headman himself has to come and attend a meeting on 18-10-95 at the ( xxxx monastery ) about "security and military operations" and "development of the area" without fail.

                                                                                                                            [Sd.]
Date: 16-10-95                                                                                                  XXXX Infantry
No.: XXXX / XXX / (X)                                                                                           Column 1

[Note: this is a typed form letter with the place names written into blanks enclosed in brackets.]

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Order #19

To:     xxxx village                                                                                     Stamp:
          Chairman                                                                                        #XXX LIB
                                                                                                              Column #2

Village Chairman, you must come to xxxx camp or to the place where the column is staying on 18-10-95 at 1 p.m. to discuss about control of the area and servants' matters [porters]. We inform you to come as soon as you can.

Note: Come without fail under any circumstance. If you fail, it will be your responsibility.

              [Sd.]
(for) Column Commander
No. XXX LIB

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Order #20

           Stamp:                                                                                                  Full Moon Day of Tha Bo Tway
No. XXX IB No. 2 Company                  Layman-in-charge of monastery / Headman
     Date: 14-2-95                                xxxx / yyyy villages

- You must come and meet us at xxxx army camp without fail on the first day after full moon day of Tha Bo Tway.
- We inform you that you must bring a video player on the first day after full moon day of Tha Bo Tway.
- If you fail to come, we won't take any responsibility [for what happens to you].

                                                                                                                            [Sd.]
                                                                                                                    Company Commander
                                                                                                                              No. 2 Company
                                                                                                               No. XXX Infantry Battalion

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Order #21

  Stamp:
No. XXX IB         To:    Village head
Column 1                    xxxx village

XXXX [orchestra and dance] troupe will perform, so give today without fail 500 Kyat for the fund from your village.

Date:   21-2-95                                                                                     [Sd.]
Place:  xxxx village                                                                      Intelligence Officer
                                                                                            No. XXX Infantry Battalion

[Note: Written on the back in red ink was "Important, Quickly"]

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Order #22

                                                                                                                                    Stamp:
To:    Village Head xxxx                                                                                                 No. XXX IB
         xxxx village                                                                                                         Column 2 HQ

I write this letter to let you, xxxx, know. The subject is that the Column arrived at xxxx so send 30 limes and chicken, about 2 viss [3.2 kg.], today at about 4 o'clock. I remind you, xxxx, come and send these things yourself.

                                                                                                            [Sd.]
                                                                                                (for) Column Commander

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Order #23

To:     Honourable village leader                                                                                                  29-1-95

Please kindly send 150 mangoes on 30-1-95 from your village.

                From: xxxx Column

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Order #24

To:                                                                                                                                           11-2-95
        Older Brother,

Clean my watch. It keeps stopping. Change the winder.

                                                                                                        [Sd. / Lt., IB XXX]
                                                                                                  xxxx Camp Superintendent

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Order #25

    Stamp:
No. XXX LIB                          To:    Village head                                                                              19-8-95
Intelligence                                  xxxx village

Subject: Send information quickly

1) The village head must come and report to xxxx camp as soon as you receive this letter.
2) Give information for this week.
3) After sending information to the nearest Column, come and report to xxxx camp.

                                                                                                                [Sd.]
                                                                                                            Intelligence

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Order #26

   Stamp:
No. XXX LIB
Intelligence                          To:    xxxx (xxxx village head)
  17-12-95

Send a messenger with the information about yesterday's asking for rice [by Karen soldiers who came to the village], recent information, afternoon information and evening information. Write a complete report about the direction the enemy left in and when.

                                                                                                                [Sd.]
                                                                                                (for) Column Commander
                                                                                             #XXX Light Infantry Battalion

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Order #27

    Stamp:
No. XXX LIB                      To:    Chairman
Intelligence                              xxxx village

xxxx, yyyy: You two from xxxx village must come and meet us as soon as you receive this letter. If you fail to come, the honourable village head will be held responsible.

                                                                                                            [Sd. / 22-12-95]
                                                                                                          Column Commander
                                                                                                No. XXX Light Infantry Battalion

[Note: Written on the back of the order was "Important / Come Immediately", with "Come Immediately" in red ink. When the two village leaders obeyed this order and went, they were both held under interrogation for several days at the camp for "not reporting rebel movements".]

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Order #28

  Stamp:
No. XXX LIB

Intelligence                          To:    xxxx village

Dear xxxx / yyyy: Come to the Column with zzzz's wife as soon as you receive this letter. If you fail, when the Column enters the village we will not (WILL NOT) be responsible for what happens.

                                                                                                                [Sd. / 12-12-95]
                                                                                                         (for) Column Commander
                                                                                                       #XXX Light Infantry Battalion

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Order #29

   Stamp:
No. XXX LIB                              xxxx village
Intelligence                              Village Chairman xxxx

As soon as you receive this letter, we inform you to come and meet the Column Commander where the Column stays, as soon as possible.

                                                                                                                [Sd. / 18-11-95]
                                                                                                           (for) Column Commander
                                                                                                        #XXX Light Infantry Battalion

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Order #30

  Stamp:
No. XXX IB                                              To:     Chairman                                                      Date: 29-11-95

Column 2                                                        xxxx village
Date: 29/11

Subject:   To come to xxxx monastery

Regarding the above subject, the headman must come to xxxx monastery to discuss about the middle school and health, education and social welfare on 30-11-95, tomorrow, at 6 a.m. We inform you that you must not fail to attend the meeting.

                                                                                                                  [Sd. / 29-11-95]
                                                                                                            (for) Column Commander

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Order #31

   Stamp:
No. XXX IB                              To:   U xxxx

  Column 2                                      xxxx village
Date: 9-12-95

As soon as you receive this letter, come to the place where the Column is staying. If you fail, it will be the headman's responsibility.

                                                                                                                    [Sd. / 9-12-95]
                                                                                                            (for) Column Commander

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Order #32

To:   Village Head                                                                                                                  15-12-95
        xxxx village

The village head must come quickly to the Column as soon as you receive this letter.
Note: 1) Do not fail. If you fail the village head will be held responsible.

                                                                                                                               [Sd.]
                                                                                                                               (for) Intelligence Officer
                                                                                                                               Column Office

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Order #33

To:   xxxx                                                                                                                              Date: 21-8-95

Send a chicken, limes, and a bottle of oil as requested by our Captain, along with the village sentry man from xxxx village [a villager being forced to do sentry duty and act as messenger].

                                                                                                                    [Sd.]
                                                                                                                    Lance Corporal xxxx
                                                                                                                    (acting Captain)

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Order #34

To:   Mother xxxx

This letter is written by your elder son. The subject is, I have things to do so please send a fat duck. There are guests at your elder son's place, so please help without fail. Mother, it's a hard time for me.

[This letter] Sent with 100 Kyat With love and respect,

                                                                                                                    [Sd. / 14-9-95]

[Note: a fat duck is worth at least double 100 Kyat.]

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Order #35

  Stamp:
No. XXX IB
Column 1                          To:    Chairman xxxx (xxxx village)                                                          Date: 1-6-95

xxxx, come to the Column as soon as you receive this letter. We call you because there are important matters. You will be responsible if you fail to come.

Note: You are reminded again to come immediately without fail.

                                                                                                                    [Sd.]
                                                                                                                    Company Commander
                                                                                                                    Company #1
                                                                                                                    #XXX Infantry Battalion

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Order #36

  Stamp:
No. XXX LIB                                    To:    xxxx village                                                                              14-10-95
Column 2                                              Chairman / Secretary

Honourable village headman, send xxxx or yyyy to the Column to meet the Column Commander.

Note: The Column Commander asks to meet both xxxx and yyyy.

Without fail.

                                                                                                                    [Sd.]
                                                                                                                    (for) Column Commander

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Order #37

To:   xxxx village

Village Chairman, when you receive this letter we inform you that you must come on the 21st to the place where the Column is staying.

                                                                                                                    [Sd.]
                                                                                                                    (XXXX)

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Order #38

    Stamp:
  No. XXX IB                                  To:    Chairman (Village Head)                                                          Date: 20-5-95
No. 1 Company                                      xxxx village

Subject:    Summoning the headman

Regarding the above subject, we inform you that you have to come without fail to the army column on 21-5-95 at the latest to discuss important matters.

Note: Come without fail.                                                                                 [Sd.]
                                                                                                            Company Commander
                                                                                                                  Company #1
                                                                                                        No. XXX Infantry Battalion

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Order #39

To:   xxxx [village]                                                                                                                      1-2-95
        Headman

We inform you that you must come to the meeting at the camp on 2-2-95 without fail. You must arrive at 10 a.m.

                                                                                                                        [Sd.]
                                                                                                                Camp Commander
                                                                                                                     xxxx camp

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Order #40

          Stamp:
        No. XXX IB                              To:    Chairman
Military HQ (Intelligence)                          xxxx village                                                      Date: (10-11-95)

Subject:   To sell 'sah kweh' [animal fodder rice] for pigs to the Battalion

Regarding the above subject, we have no food to feed the pigs. As we need food, come and sell (3) sacks of sah kweh from each village to the Battalion urgently. We will pay you cash in hand.

                                                                                                                [Sd. / 10-11-95]
                                                                                                                    Intelligence
                                                                                                            No. XXX Infantry Battalion

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Order #41

To:   xxxx village                                                                                                                          5-11-95
        Chairman

You yourself or someone on your behalf must bring (3) sacks of 'sah kweh' [animal fodder rice] to the Battalion today. You must send it without fail. We will give you the market price.

Respectfully,

                                                                                                                        [Sd.]

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Order #42

   Stamp:
No. XXX LIB                                  To:    xxxx village
Intelligence                                          Chairman

1. Headman, for the report to No. XXX Light Infantry Battalion / No. X Column, you must deliver the following list to Column No. X, as soon as you can but at the latest on 3-12 [Dec. 3]:

1. Village name
2. Total number of houses
3. Number of people aged 12 and above (male/female)
4. Number of people aged under 12 (male / female)
5. Total number of schools, high / middle / primary
6. Total number of teachers (male / female) and students (male / female)
7. Number of monasteries / abbots, monks, and monk attendants
8. Total number of cattle and buffalos
9. Total acreage of fields
10. Total number of oxcarts and boats
11. Total number of video machines / TVs
12. Total number of ricemills / sawmills / oil presses / generators

2. We inform you that the village LORC Chairman or Secretary must come and deliver by himself the above list without fail.

Note: You must send it by the given date without fail.

                                                                                                                        [Sd.]
                                                                                                                        Column Commander
                                                                                                                        No. XXX LIB

[Note: The details for the particular village were filled in on this order, but have been omitted here for security reasons. All villages in the area are being ordered to provide such lists. They will most likely be used to determine quotas for forced labour, confiscation of livestock, commandeering of carts and boats, and extortion money.]

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Order #43

[OMITTED FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION]

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Order #44

  Stamp:                                                                                                                              3-9-94
No. XXX IB
Column 2                                          To:     xxxx village
                                                                Monastery layman-in-charge / headman

Village leaders, as soon as you get this letter, you have to send (2) people to serve in our camp as promised. Moreover, you must send (2) more people to take over from the previous ones and you must also send back (2) people who ran away and did not finish their duty. The fact that they returned [home] is your responsibility and we consider that you did not fulfill your duty.

The operation column warns you that if they take the opportunity to leave while the troops are not around, we will not take any responsibility [for what we do to you]. Should this happen in the future, we will take action and you will be charged with disturbing and causing delay to our military operations.

You have to take action and find those (2) undutiful servants, and inform us when you have done so.

You must send them quickly to xxxx Column.

                                                                                                                    [Sd. / 3-9-94]
                                                                                                                    Column Office

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Order #45

  Stamp:
No. XXX IB                                  To:    xxxx village                                                                      17-9-94
Column 2                                           Village Head / Layman in charge of monastery

Today we have released (2) servants from xxxx village. Arrange for them to be replaced since they have been in xxxx [the SLORC camp] for a long time. Do not pretend as if you forgot about them. Village leaders, you have to take this matter seriously. We do not want to hear any excuse, such as "it is far away and it is flooded". Try to remember to be ready to replace on time those who have completed their duty. Do not think it is not your duty. You have the responsibility to look after the people you sent. Replace the people that we have now released and replace also those who are still left in the camp.

                                                                                                                    [Sd.]
                                                                                                                    Column Office

[Note: Villages are forced to send forced labourers on a rotating basis, and normally one group is not released until their replacements arrive. The village head is obviously not replacing the forced labourers often enough for SLORC.]

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Order #46

  Stamp:                                                                                                                                          6-5-94
No. XXX IB                              To:    Monastery layman-in-charge
Column 2                                       xxxx village

1. Thank you and we are very pleased about the voluntary servants that came.

2. Please do help us again and deliver (10) big and good durians on the 10th day after full moon day of Htan Ku (8-5-94) to xxxx camp and we will give you compensation.

3. We will send back the (2) servants from xxxx village on the 1st day of Ka Son.

                                                                                    Thank you,
                                                                                        [Sd.]
                                                                                    Battalion 2nd-in-command
                                                                                                IB XXX
                                                                                Temporary officer, xxxx camp

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Order #47

  Stamp:   
No. XXX IB                                      To:    xxxx village
Column 2                                               Monastery layman-in-charge, Village Head

Following my previous letter asking to send (2) servants and replace (2) others, you must come to xxxx camp on the 7th of the English calendar or 3rd of the waxing moon of the Burmese calendar. The column commander is angry that you neglect your duty. You have to come and explain.

Don't make the excuse that it is too difficult and too far to come. When you come to xxxx, you have to bring information about the situation of your village. Are you afraid of the insurgents or do you feel pity on the villagers? Think carefully and do as we have ordered unconditionally.

                                                                                                                    [Sd.]
                                                                                                                    Column Office

[Note: village heads often avoid going when called like this, then tell the commander that they were too "afraid of the rebels" to go. This commander suggests that perhaps the real reason the village head doesn't come is because he "feels pity on the villagers", which is apparently considered a serious crime by the Tatmadaw.]

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Order #48

        TRAVEL PERMIT          Date: 14/11/94

1) Name:
2) Age:
3) Father's Name:
4) Place:
5) Ethnicity:
6) Occupation:
7) Destination:
8) NRC No.:
xxxx / yyyy / zzzz
xx / yy / zz
xxxx / yyyy / zzzz
xxxx village
Karen
Farmers
xxxx village
None

Kawkareik Township, xxxx village. We acknowledge that these 3 people are simple villagers and are not involved in politics.

Travel period:     (14-11-94) up to (15-11-94).

                    [Sd.]                                                                            [Sd.]
                    xxxx                                                                               xxxx
            Camp Commander                                                                Chairman
                 xxxx camp                                                                     xxxx village

xxxx headman U xxxx and 3 labourers.

[Note: this is a standard form with the details filled in the blanks. This travel permit was required just so 3 villagers could go to another village for forced labour without being arrested. It is included here to show what people have to go through just to travel short distances in SLORC's Burma. NRC is National Registration Card - most villagers do not have one.]

Tue, 20 Feb 1996

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